South Portland business owner plans to open ‘green’ car and dog wash

The Crystal Clean Car Wash on on Broadway in South Portland will handle everything from a skunked pooch to commercial vehicles, Chris Tyll says.

By melanie sochanThe Forecaster

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Bay Harbor Car Wash, at 696 Broadway in South Portland, is being renovated and will be called Crystal Clean Car Wash. Photo by Melanie Sochan/The Forecaster

SOUTH PORTLAND — A local business owner wants to clean cars and wash dogs while making the planet a greener place.

Chris Tyll has starting renovating the former Bay Harbor Car Wash at 696 Broadway, near the police station. He is changing the name to Crystal Clean Car Wash; it will include a dog wash and a self-service car wash, detailing service and fully automated car/truck wash that can handle commercial vehicles.

Chris Tyll, owner of Easy Day in South Portland, has started renovating the former Bay Harbor Car Wash at 696 Broadway, which will be called Crystal Clean Car Wash. It will include a dog wash and a high-tech self-service car wash, detailing service and fully automated car/truck wash that can handle commercial vehicles. Photo by Melanie Sochan/The Forecaster

Tyll is a former Navy SEAL who also owns Easy Day at 725 Broadway; 33 Hill St., a contracting business with offices at Easy Day, and Pat’s Pizza Old Port, at 30 Market St. in Portland.

Tyll, a Yarmouth resident, purchased the car wash about four years ago.

He said nothing irritates people more than having to give a dog a bath after bringing their pet back from a romp at the beach or park. So the dog wash, which will take up one bay, will have two self-service areas, complete with Wi-Fi and a vending machine that will include products to remove skunk odors.

The car wash will be open 24 hours.

Tyll is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy with a degree in ocean engineering and a minor in coastal erosion and environmental studies.

“Finding the balance between business and the environment can be made,” he said.

Tyll said all products at the car wash will be biodegradable, and the building will have energy-saving bright LED lights. The building will use a high-efficiency natural gas boiler and have radiant heat in all the bays. The new systems will also use substantially less water and electricity.

The business motto is “Your car, our planet, spotless,” he said.

Tyll said the car wash will separate sediment, which will be hauled away instead of going into storm drains.

He said he attended three international car wash shows in the last four years to prepare for the renovation.

There will be one full, 2 1/2-hour detail bay, with a courtesy ride service available to customers. An express detail of 30 minutes will also be offered.

Tyll said there will be four self-service bays, two “super bays” that will feature an extreme pressure wash that would work well for boats, and two automatic wash bays – one touchless and one “IQ soft-touch bay” that uses sonar to scan each vehicle.

A second floor will be added over the bays for employee space, tech space and storage. Tyll said the cupola will be removed and the building will have a modern look when complete.

He hopes to reopen the car wash Jan. 1, subject to deliveries of equipment.